So far as I have been able to find, very little work, if any, has been done to ascertain the resistance of ticks to the gases usually employed in fumigation. This is probably because fumigation for the destruction of ticks is not, under ordinary conditions, a practical method. There recently arose, however, a question at Lourenço Marques (Portuguese East Africa), as to whether ships bringing cattle from Madagascar could be cleaned of the ticks which might have dropped from the cattle and be thus rendered clean for use in the transport of clean cattle for breeding purposes. The port authorities possessed a “Clayton Fumigating Apparatus” for use in disinfecting plague-infected ships and it was suggested that this system be tried for the purpose. Several tests were accordingly carried out with the co-operation of the Chief of the Veterinary Service, the Port Doctor, Municipal Officer of Health, and several local medical men. The “Clayton” being a standard system of fumigation, I will not enter into a discussion of it.

The embryo of Filaria loa has never been fully studied or described and for this reason the hypothesis put forward by manson, that the Filaria diurna is the larva of Filaria loa, remains unproven. when manson suggested this connection he had at hand some sketches of embryos which leuckart had made and sent to him. as these sketches were not of sufficient aid to establish the identity of the embryos with the larvae found by him in the blood, and as no metamorphosis takes place in the larvae while circulating in the blood, it is reasonable to suppose that they must have been rather crude sketches. however, the hypothesis came to be accepted because it was well supported by the fact that the two worms have the same geographical distribution and also by the occasional discovery of both in the same host. at the same time that this hypothesis was advanced, manson changed the name from Filaria sanguinis hominis major to Filaria sanguinis hominis diurna and said that the species was practically indistinguishable on morphological grounds from the well-known Filaria sanguinis hominis of Lewis (Filaria nocturna, Manson) i.e.Filaria bancrofti. this fact made it all the more necessary to observe embryos taken from an adult female Filaria loa before venturing to state the origin of the larvae found in the blood.

A precise knowledge of the geographical distribution of Ornithodorus moubata is very desirable, as it bears directly upon the distribution of the Relapsing Fever of Tropical Africa. It therefore appears desirable to publish the accompanying map and a list of places showing the distribution of the tick. Both the map and the list are, however, of necessity far from perfect.

In Parasitology, Vol. III. p. 486, there is a description by F. M. Howlett of the paraffin boxes in use here for preserving pinned insects. As the description of these boxes is incomplete and not quite correct, it seems desirable to add a description which will enable others to make these boxes. We use teak boxes, of a standard size, well varnished within; when the varnish is dry, a piece of cork carpet cut to fit the box and previously enamelled white above, is laid ready to hand, a mixture of paraffin wax (melting point 136° F.) 80% and flake naphthaline 20% is kept melted and a small quantity is run into the box; the cork carpet is at once put in, and rolled down on the melted mixture which sets and holds it; more of the liquid is then run in, sufficient to cover the cork completely; this sets with an even smooth surface (the box being on a perfectly horizontal surface), and the box is ready when cold. This method has not only been tried but we have nearly 2000 boxes in use and are replacing all our papered boxes. To all who may wish to preserve insects in one place I recommend these boxes, but they are too heavy if one is moving and for that a lighter paraffined box is required.